


Thawing out after an icy reception

by Comicfan



Category: Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-07 22:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15917676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comicfan/pseuds/Comicfan
Summary: Jason and Artemis were stuck at the manor during one of the worst snowstorms in Gotham's history. Tension between the Outlaws and the family was high. Artemis has some ideas on how to get Jason to relax.





	Thawing out after an icy reception

**Author's Note:**

> The timeline for this is kind of vague. The beat down in RHATO happened but this is a little later. Bruce might have attempted to mend things with Jason and messed up again. That's the vague part. I'm not sure if I want to address what's happening with Dick but we'll see.
> 
> I originally I wanted to do this story with Jason and Artemis trapped with the family and desperately wanting some "alone time." Jason would be against it due to being around his family and Artemis would tempt/tease him. But I'm not really in the mood for family stuff given recent issues. I still wanted to have a story with them stuck at the manor though.

The surrealism of the situation had made it hard to accept the fact he was actually back in the manor. Jason kept thinking he'd wake up in one of his hideouts feeling vaguely sad as the dreams' details started to fade. Yet there he was back in his old room staring out of the frosted window at the vast white blanket of snow covering the grounds. The howling wind rattled some unseen part of the manor (Jason guessed it was the gutters that already had years of damage from kids kicking them while running on the roof.) It was supposed to be the worst snowstorm in Gotham's history. That was the reason he was given for their sudden invite.

Not that the weather wasn't bad, for once the reports hadn't been exaggerated. It was snowing so hard Jason could barely see past the flurries. When the wind picked up it was impossible to tell what direction you were going. It was the kind of night Jason had feared when he was living on the street. Cold enough to kill and hard to travel in. No, the part that he had trouble accepting was Bruce wanting them to be there. Supposedly. Alfred had claimed it was true but Jason had his doubts. He'd always have doubts where Bruce was concerned.

It had been five hours since Alfred had coaxed (tricked) Artemis and him into a car then drove them "home." Since then it had just been Jason and Artemis alone in the house while Alfred went to the cave. If anyone else was in the manor they didn't seek them out. Jason hadn't retreated to his room until the fifth hour. He had been too on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop. For all he knew this was just a scheme Alfred had put together. If Bruce didn't go for it Jason would be dragged off (literally) to sleep in a cold cell. 

Bizarro had been visiting the Kents otherwise Jason would have gotten the big guy to fly them out of there. If the clone wasn't still recovering from his injuries he probably would have been tempted to give him a call anyway. The possibilities for what a long stay at the manor would entail bothered Jason. He wasn't sure what would be worse: having to deal with the family or being ignored. No matter what the outcome it wouldn't be a positive situation and their problems wouldn't magically be resolved.

It made him furious to think of being trapped there and to know Alfred had set this up. Giving off the impression he was going to respect Jason's wishes when he had really been driving them "to safety." He had told Alfred on the way there that there was nothing safe about being around Bruce. The man had made it impossible for Jason to move out of bed for weeks. The hypocrite that used to lecture him on excessive force had beaten him senseless when Jason had barely put up any fight. Few ever saw that side of Batman no matter what henious crime they committed. 

_I bet Joker never got the same treatment for killing me._

His "dad" had dragged him by his broken helmet across a rooftop leaving bloody trails and didn't care if Jason would suffer spinal issues. In fact he was preparing to shove Jason into Arkham and leave him to his enemies' mercy. Now he was imprisoned in a different kind of cell awaiting another sort of judgement.

Jason hasn't been seen as family then, all Bruce had cared about was being dumped by Selina and Jason once again being a failure in his eyes. There was no hesitation when he attacked his "son" with more force than was required. It hurt to realize that Alfred wouldn't be in his corner but he always suspected as much. When Bruce had lost his memories Alfred had done his best to get rid of them to preserve the slim chance Bruce had at happiness. It hadn't mattered that Jason had believed Bruce was dead and started to mourn. Or that the only reason Jason had discovered the truth was by accidental seeing the man in person. The fact was that Bruce's wellbeing would always be seen as a high priority than theirs. Especially Jason's.

The tremors that shook his frame had nothing to do with the temperature. It might have been chilly in the home when they arrived but it was currently pleasantly warm in the manor. Jason didn't really feel it, as if he could sense the aura of the building's owner. The disappointment, the causal abuse (at least towards Jason) that was never addressed, the rage and the frigid heart that had hardened over the years. It was so dreary that Jason had been surprised to discover he had been staring out of the window in a trance for fifteen minutes.

The bed dipped announcing Artemis' presence a second before her hand held his. The reassuring squeeze grounded him, the weight of her head resting on his shoulder eased the tension out and the peck to his cheek a minute later warmed him up considerably. 

"This is your bedroom?"

Her question made him jerk out of his thoughts.  "Uh yeah, it is."

"Is this the one you shared with Dick?" There was a hint of amusement in her tone.

"He told you about that?" He smiled when she hummed an affirmative sound. "No, this is the one Alfred put me in for the first few nights. It was an out of use guest room slash storage area. I slept in the other room for awhile then cleaned this one out myself when I found out Alfred had just put me into Dick's old room."

The fond grin slipped off is face when he recalled how hurt he had felt when he discovered the fact Alfred hadn't even bothered to give Jason his own space. The old man had seemed to feel bad when Jason had personally gone to the trouble himself but it had still been rather thoughtless. Had Alfred realized how it had made him feel to know that there had been nothing in their home that was purely his? That it had been Jason that had to make his own place where he could belong? Why hadn't he known how important it was to let Jason be his own person and feel accepted? Not that he could ever find the words to tell the butler because in the end no one could upset Alfred.

"It was bad enough that everyone kept comparing me to Dick but to find out I wasn't even worth the effort of getting a new room cleaned out? It felt like even Alfred didn't think I'd be staying long." He sighed because he really shouldn't be dumping all of this on her. "Sorry. This place just makes me remember bad memories especially after, you know, everything."

"There's no need to apologize. We were forced into this because someone you trusted betrayed you. He did _._ " Artemis added when Jason's mouth opened automatically to defend Alfred. "He claimed he'd find a proper shelter for us to spend the storm at and purposely mislead us. You shouldn't be forced to relive what you've gone through or confronting _that_ man."

"Maybe not." Jason admitted knowing she was right even if part of him wanted to argue. Call it sentimental nostalgia or simply being programmed that way...Jason still felt somewhat loyal towards them. "I still feel bad about you being dragged into this."

"As if I'd let any of them take you away from me." The possessiveness of her voice sent a thrill down Jason's spine. 

"I don't want to fight with the family anymore. At this point I just want to move on. I'm tired of going through the same routine." Jason knew he'd never be what they wanted and he'd never get what he wanted out of them. Maybe it had been childish of him to ever hope to find the family he had always wanted with a group of people that had never fully accepted him.

"I will be with you throughout this ordeal, Jason. I wouldn't allow them to hurt you. If they do--if **_he_** does--I'll break every bone in his body." The flash of protectiveness she displayed made Jason feel safe for the first time since they arrived.

"There's no one else I'd rather have watching my back." He relaxed into her embrace thankful to have Artemis lending her strength.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments leaning against one another. Only when Artemis moved to the side to address him properly did the moment break.

"Back to my earlier inquiries about your bedroom..." There was definitely a note of mischief in her tone. "...Am I the first female visitor you've had in here?"

The question made him feel like a hormonal kid again. Back when the prospect of being alone with a girl in his room had been a forbidden and impossible fantasy. Had he ever had the opposite gender in this room before? To the best of his recollection Leslie had never treated him there. No other female he had known at the time would have gone near his bedroom. 

"I think you are. I didn't really know that many people." It was a pretty honest reply. Jason had been a lonely kid that had tried desperately to meet potential friends. After so many failures he could only come to the conclusion that he was the problem.

"That means I'm the first one you've had on this bed with you." The devilish smirk Artemis offered made the blood from his head rush downwards. "My, you must have had such an active imagination with what you'd do if such an opportunity occurred."

He shrugged, "I'm not sure I'd say it was _**that**_ imaginative."

Sure he had sex dreams and loosely defined fantasies but they were tamer than the things he'd hear about later. 

"Now you have my attention." The shit eating grin she wore should have pissed him off. The way she got under his skin used to bother him. Sometimes it still did to an extent but in this instance he saw it as her attempt to distract him.

"It was just boring stuff. Honestly I was mostly hoping to meet someone. Being Robin had its high points it was just kinda lonely." He spoke from the heart no longer wondering if she'd taunt him for what he said. "Pathetic right?"

"No. I can see how isolating this place can be." Giving his hand a squeeze she silently encouraged him to continue. 

"A lot of places are." For him at any rate, he grew up lonely and hadn't truly felt a sense of belonging until his rebirth. With the All Caste then later the Outlaws.

"They are which makes every meeting a miracle." Her thumb stroked the side of his hand before making a path around his palm. "But back to our previous discussion...did you ever think of what you'd do if you had a woman in here?"

"Panic?" The joke made the corners of her mouth lift. Jason scratched the back of his head because he had given it A LOT of thought back then. "Okay. I didn't think of anything too creative just the idea of having sex in here had been a kink. It was this extremely dangerous and forbidden thought."

Artemis laughed at how his voice had lowered as if he expected someone to overhear them.

"You wanted to break the rules and were afraid of being caught, hmm? It seems you were quite the rebel even then." 

"I know it's pretty tame by some standards. I heard all about other sidekicks wanting to pretend they were tied up by a super villainness or getting to be with an older superhero like..." All too late Jason trailed off because he knew Artemis didn't want to know her rival had been someone teen superheroes had lusted after.

"Like Wonder Woman?" Artemis asked with an raised eyebrow.

"Well some did."

"Did you?" Her unflinching stare almost made Jason flinch.

"No, really I didn't !" He added when she gave him a disbelieving look. "Yeah she's attractive--"

_Backpedal Jason ! She does not like how this sounds !_

"I just could never think that about her !" Finally breaking eye contact Jason scratched the back of his head again. "Okay fine. It was more than that. I also thought she'd know if I did."

The snicker Artemis gave drew a glare from Jason.

"It's Batmans' fault for implying I wasn't thinking clean thoughts which made my mind go in a bad direction! I felt so guilty and couldn't look her in the eye for a month!" His confession made her laugh harder. " _Anyway_ , I never got the point of role playing."

"If you're lucky we might try it sometime."

"I don't want to pretend to be someone else or to imagine you as anyone else." Jason's words earned him a genuine smile.

"Perhaps not. That doesn't mean we can't do a scenario with one of us as a villain that seduces the other." The heat in her green eyes told Jason it was something Artemis wanted to do. He nodded in response because his curiosity was peaked just by her reaction. "Let me see if I have all the facts right. You claim you only desired sex in _this_ room when you were younger. Correct?"

"LOTS of sex in different areas and positions in this room, yes." He sheepishly admitted wondering if his face was red. Jason kept expecting her to tell him how stupid and simple his fantasy had been. 

"Are you sure you aren't keeping something from me?" Artemis asked in a teasing almost sing-song like tone.

"Sometimes I was in uniform." Embarrassed as he was Jason's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Noted but not what I was going for." The glint in her eyes set Jason on edge, more so when she reached to the side of the bed where a box sat. "I saw this when you were staring at the storm and brooding."

Pulling into the box she grabbed out her prize then held it between her hands.

"That's not a kink, Artemis!" That didn't mean he was exactly thrilled at seeing it either.

"No? Then what would you call it Jason? At first glance I'd say it was a bathing suit. A bit skimpy for a boy though." She gave the item a shake as if she expected to see more material fall down.

"You're not far off. It's Atlantean. Made to be durable and useful in the water. Originally it was going to be used for full armor for the Robin uniforms but for some reason Dick decided against it. He did discover it would be good protection if it acted as a...er...cup of sorts under the actual uniform. I got my own pair to wear too." The pair of green scaly fabric had served it's purpose it just looked silly to Jason.

"Do you think you'd still fit them?" 

"I'm **not** putting those on!" He denied putting some distance between him and the armored underwear he used to wear.

"I suppose we can negotiate it later on." The kiss she gave him left Jason feeling dizzy. "For now let's focus on helping you live out your fantasy."

"You can't be serious!" Jason hissed as if be expected Batman to hear them from where ever his current location was. 

"Why not?" Her tone was far too innocent for a woman reclining back onto the covers of his bed. The sultry look was too tempting to simply look away from. It took Jason a second to realize he should think of a reply.

"Because we're at the **_manor_**  ! Not even _Dick_ spends nights with his girlfriends here! It's just not done !" He sounded scandalized to his own ears.

Artemis laughed heartily which unfortunately drew more attention to her curves. "Does that really concern you? Surely you're more daring than that. We both know you want to."

Emerald eyes danced with mirth making Jason's heart race all the more faster.

"I can't believe you're suggesting **_this_**!" Jason never would have thought Artemis would be in the mood for spontaneous sex while they were trapped with his family.

"I can't believe _**you**_ don't want to take advantage of this situation." She placed his hands on her hips then hooked her arms around his neck to bring him closer.

"They could be back at any time--!" The smash of their mouths made Jason lose his train of thought.

"So? What we do is none of their concern." Their lips met again silencing them both for some time.

Her hands trailed down his body until she found his firm backside. Artemis gave it a squeeze prompting Jason to grind against her. Pulling away from their kiss she chuckled into his ear.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Jason panted knowing he was quickly losing the battle to not give into her.

"You want to," Artemis' voice was husky at that point, "it doesn't matter what they think. Look me in the eye and tell me you want to stop. I promise we won't proceed if that's the case but if you do wish to continue..."

She trailed off patiently waiting for Jason to ask her to finish. Still panting Jason tried to regain his composure. It was a losing battle with Artemis underneath him staring at him with those beautiful eyes he loved. Her mouth was a shade darker from their kissing and a bit swollen. Licking his own lips (it pleased him to see her eyes were drawn to the motion) he then swallowed the lump in his throat (which she also watched.) 

"If I do...?" The hoarse sound of his own voice told them both how onboard he already was.

"Every single day we're stuck here we'll explore one another...thoroughly." She promised, chuckling when he moaned when she whispered the last word into his ear.

If they went through with it he was going to be screwed in more than one way.

**Author's Note:**

> In the comics the green Robin "shorts" were actually part of a costume worn under the red tunic. You can see it during Dick's TT days but they were shown as "shorts" in RHATO #6 on the ship among Dicks' things. This is me just trying to work them into current canon.
> 
> I'm unsure what kinks I want to write for Artemis. There are some clues in the comics I'm just curious what others think.
> 
> If anyone wants to write this pairing I have some prompts. I might write these I might not but their open for everyone.
> 
> Villain: Either the role playing situation mentioned here or an AU with one of them being a villain that successfully seduces or attempts to seduce the other. It has to be mutual.
> 
> Meeting the Family: Exactly what it sounds like. It could be announcing their a couple or just trying to bond with their family. Even a fight with the family, etc.
> 
> Poly/threesome or more: I saw a prompt for Jason awhile back that I'd like to apply to this pairing. Artemis and Jason are a couple that for one reason or another has someone sleep with them both. Either make this purely sex they share with someone else or them allowing another person to enter a committed relationship with them. It can be more than one person. My only no-no is incest. That includes Jason's adopted family. I like the challenge this presents I just have no idea who I'd add.
> 
> The Exes: Dealing with the awkwardness of their exes being around. 
> 
> Baby: Because every pairing has this in some form. Their going to have a baby and have to deal with parenthood. Reactions from others could be included. Bizarro feels like a must for a reaction.
> 
> Telling a secret: Either Jason or Artemis tell a secret about themselves they never told anyone else.


End file.
